Customer Reviews

Saurian Meditation

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What would it sound like if the demon child of some Egyptian demigod found its way to our present-day world, fell madly in love with the ambient music of Brian Eno, and decided to combine those soundscapes with the atmosphere of its native dimension? Most of us have never even wondered, and yet Karl Sanders has given a vividly resounding answer with Saurian Meditation. For your next gothic candlelit orgy, Zen meditation session or pagan sacrifice, this is a disc you really can't go wrong with.

It won't be truly confused with African/Egyptian music, and SM works better as a background album than anything else, but it's plenty mesmerizing all the same. Slow washes of synths and voices come and go, some earthy percussion plods along to create a beautiful trance, and sinuous melodies from various (mostly) acoustic stringed instruments create the perfect desert-land sound. There's a slow dreamlike feeling that's enveloping from start to finish, even through the fast melody lines of "Doom Serpent" or the doomy chants & searing electric guitar of "Elder God Shrine." The only little flaw is a sudden voice-over midway through "The Forbidden Path..." - it's damn funny, but a sudden fit of laughter really tends to interrupt the mood of the rest of the album. I guess that's what the track-program function is for.

In a way, this could be a more dark/ambient estranged cousin to Peter Gabriel's masterpiece Passion. I don't reach for it as often as PG or Archetribe or the Trey Gunn Band when I want something hypnotic and third-worldly, but Saurian Meditation is very effective at what it does. Give it a try and your imagination will start sprouting wings.

Excellent, dark, moody, transcending. Some very powerful music on this album and would appeal to the goth subculture and people who love dark moody beats, a hint of metal and powerful deep vocals. In particular Gothic Fusion Belly dancers will find some of the tracks on this album very inspiring. My personal favourite is track 5 - Elder God shrine. This track screams a sword dance.

As an avid Nile fan, I decided I had to buy this. It turned out not to be exactly what I expected, but great nonetheless. Each track is unique enough to stand alone, yet is cohesive to the whole album. I initially expected to hear more of the type of Egyptian themed music from certain Nile tracks. Not any metal, just more truly Egyptian type music. While that did not manifest, one cannot help but feel as though transported to a mythical desert landscape.
If you like Nile, buy this album.
If you like meditative music, buy this album.
If you like music in the vein of Dead Can Dance, buy this album.
If you want to have a good album playing in the background of a social gathering, buy this album.
If you want to have something you can just sit and let the music create imagery to take you far away, buy this album.
If you want music to actually meditate to or uplift you, you should probably skip this one.

This is a superb album. It bridges the gap between metal and classical music. As a classically trained musician, I was surprised the first time a friend played cuts from this album for me, and liked them so much I bought the album. If I like an artist, I feel the least I can do is support them by buying their actual album, and not ripping tracks from the net. I would urge fans of both metal and classical to check this album out, and expand their horizons.

This is one of my top 3 favorite Meditation music compilations.
Discovered almost on accident (Because a track was next on my mp3 player...) that if you want to trip LEGALLY, do a Ganzfeld type experiement, but instead of white noise, put this on. WOW Whew. I couldn't tell if my eyes were open or closed- this stuff puts me seriously out there.
My friend says it is horror music creepy. I find it a bit dark and deep, but more like the ocean of consciouness would be. (Maybe that is scary for her, lol, but more likely I just LIKE the exotic creep feel.)
If this music were a god, it would have to be SET.

This is a fantastic and unique album. Regardless of your general tastes you will most likely be enticed by the enigmatic proceedings of these Egyptian soundscapes.

The album as a whole is very diverse and atmospheric from beginning to end. No two songs sound the same, and each one is memorable in its own way. Achieving this with mostly instrumentals takes a bit of talent. The end result is a morbid and hypnotic depiction of the beauty of the abyss, lamented across the winds of the deserts that embody it.

Favorite tracks:

Awaiting the Vultures - This track's impression on me is of something potent, deeply ominous, and definitely in motion... it has its way of 'slithering' through the crevices in your brain.

Dreaming Through The Eyes Of Serpents - Deeply soothing, powerfully mesmerizing... it's even a little catchy. This is the 'meditation' part of the album.

Beckon The Sick Winds Of Pestilence - A dark, sinister mantra without words. Definitely the eeriest song I've heard in a while. In my opinion this last track, along with the first, are the more easily accessible ones - whereas the others just tend to grow on you.

This is a must for Nile fans...Oh this record is amazing and it can't be explained in words...only through the howls of the dead can this record be understood...

Luring the Doom Serpent - what a track...

Pick it up or you will be lashed to the slave stick!

Karl Sanders does guitar and vocals for the death metal band Nile,of course Nile are an extreme death metal band with Egyptian style songs,so of course Karl Sanders does an Egytian style cd without all the death metal,and it's awesome!the music is so alluring you'll swear that you're in Egypt while listening to this disc,it's such a great disc and the music surrounds the listener and takes you straight to Egypt!great work Karl Sanders!!awesome cd!highly recommended for Nile fans!

This is a chill album w/ great vibe warmings. IF u like NILE get this to add to the collection.Even if not this a non-metal album w/ influences and thoughts from Nile's MASTERPIECES! Sick and Dark Acoustic Guitar Parts w/ Eastern Percussion and Vocal Pieces!